Easy Italian Kale and Bean Skillet! Whether you’re a kale enthusiast or just looking to incorporate more nutritious greens into your diet, this budget-friendly dish is a winner.

This Easy Italian Kale and Bean Skillet is a delightful combination of hearty white beans, vibrant kale, and luscious tomato goodness. Not only is this dish a breeze to whip up, but it’s also ready in less than 25 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

If you’re craving a quick, satisfying meal packed with the timeless flavors of Italian cuisine, then look no further! This dish is a must-try for anyone who loves the comforting taste of rich, tomatoey goodness.

Powerhouse Ingredients

Cannellini beans and kale are a dynamic duo that not only elevate the flavor of countless dishes but also offer a powerhouse of health benefits.

Cannellini beans, also known as white kidney beans, are packed with protein, fiber, and essential nutrients such as iron, folate, and magnesium. Kale is a nutritional powerhouse; bursting with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as antioxidants and fiber, kale is a nutrient-dense green that supports overall health and well-being.

When paired with cannellini beans, kale adds a delightful earthy flavor and a hearty texture, creating a winning combination that’s as good for your taste buds as it is for your body.

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: This Easy Italian Kale and Bean Skillet is an easy and budget-friendly dish that is full of delicious tomato flavors with kale and white beans.
• Low-Fat Dish Expectations: This dish was designed to be low in fat. Because it is low in fat, you are not going to experience that endorphin rush associated with eating high-fat foods when eating this dish. It is very tasty for what it is, and that is a low-fat dish. We just want to make sure that our Readers recognize this when contemplating making this recipe.  If you wish to make it more indulgent, add the Vegan Parmesan Cheese on individual servings. The vegan parmesan cheese totally takes it over the top.
• Texture of the Dish: The texture of the dish is thick and chunky from the crushed tomatoes. If you do not enjoy the texture of crushed tomatoes, then consider skipping this recipe.
• Cannellini Beans: We used cannellini beans; however, feel free to use your favorite white bean.
• Baby Kale: Chop the baby kale into small pieces for a better mouth feel.  Feel free to substitute for your favorite greens.
• Greens: Greens such as spinach and kale are natural spice/herb neutralizers.  A soup/stew/dish can taste perfectly seasoned before adding the greens, then once the greens are added, the flavor mellows and may require more seasoning.
• Baking Soda: Baking soda is often used as a neutralizer for dishes that contain a lot of acidity, typically from tomatoes.  We use it in this dish to remove some of the tomato acidity (from the crushed tomatoes) without losing the tomatoey flavor. When you add it, the mixture may bubble up, then settle down as it neutralizes the acidity. However, if you prefer that ‘tinny’ flavor that comes from canned tomatoes, then leave out the baking soda or perhaps use a tiny pinch.
• San Marzano Tomatoes: If you want to make this dish more indulgent and spend a few more dollars, consider substituting the crushed tomatoes for San Marzano tomatoes. Simply place the San Marzano tomatoes in Step 3 and thoroughly crush the tomatoes with the edge of a spatula before adding the beans and kale.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered container.

This dish can be frozen.

Pantry Products:

• Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Kitchen Products:

• Large skillet or similar stockpot

If you try this flavorful dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Easy Italian Kale Bean Skillet

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Cook Time: 20 Minutes
• Total Time: 30 Minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian Inspired
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This Easy Italian Kale and Bean Skillet is a delightful combination of hearty white beans, earthy kale, and luscious tomato goodness.

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Ingredients

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Skillet Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow onions, fine dice
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 – [ 28 oz. can ] crushed tomatoes *
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda (optional) *
• 1 – 15.5 oz. can ] cannellini beans, drained and rinsed *
• 2 ½ to 3 cups chopped baby kale * 

Spice/Herb Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano (+/-)
• ½ teaspoon dried basil (+/-)
• Pinch ground fennel (optional)
• Pinch red pepper flakes (+/-) (optional)
• Pinch black pepper (+/-)
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) * 

Serving Ideas:

• Boiled, baked, roasted potatoes
• Cooked pasta
• Steamed rice
• Crusty bread/flatbread

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Instructions

1. Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
2. In a large skillet, add the finely diced onions, sauté over medium-high heat for 7 to 9 minutes to soften, add a splash of water, if needed to avoid burning. Then lower the heat to medium, add the minced garlic, sauté, stir constantly for one minute.
3. Then add all the remaining Skillet Ingredients (except the beans and kale) and the Spice/Herb Mix to the skillet, stir to incorporate, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Add the beans and kale, stir to incorporate, then simmer over medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
4. Serving ideas: Serve over steamed rice, boiled or baked potatoes, cooked pasta, or simply with crusty bread or flatbread.

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Notes

*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Servings:  4

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